This invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing personalized chip cards containing an at least partly flat surface for visible application of data and an integrated circuit with memory.
International application WO 87/05420 describes a method for personalizing chip modules (i.e. inscribing and encoding them with data individual to the card) which are intended for incorporation in a card body. The method proposed therein first involves providing a coiled band with chip modules to be personalized. Said coiled band is subsequently supplied by clock to a contacting head which contacts and personalizes one chip module at a time. The personalized chip module is incorporated in an uninscribed card body either before or after personalization.
With this form of personalization it is no problem bringing chip and card body together since each chip fits into each card body. Especially in the variant in which an already personalized chip is incorporated in the card body, incorrectly personalized chips can be previously eliminated so that an error in personalizing the chip does not lead to a rejected card. The disadvantage of the shown method, however, is that if there is an error in later personalization of the card body, i.e. in inscribing the card with the later card user""s personal data, the chip is also lost.
European patent application EP-A 0 266 926 discloses a method wherein an unpersonalized card body with an unpersonalized magnetic stripe and an unpersonalized chip is fed to an encoder for inscription of the magnetic stripe, IC personalization is subsequently performed, this is checked and in the next step the card body is inscribed, i.e. personalized. This again involves the disadvantage that an error in inscribing the card body renders the complete card including the chip useless.
A reduction of such rejects is obtained by the procedure according to European patent specification EP-B 0 311 417 where, although the chip is first personalized, a reader is provided for reading out the data from the chip for the further processing steps, namely personalizing the card body and magnetic stripe, the data being used for embossing and magnetic stripe encoding. This at least prevents a false allocation from being made during inscription of the card body so that it is hardly possible for the data stored in the chip and the data shown on the chip card surface not to match. A disadvantage still remains, however, in that inscription of the card body is done with the correct data but can be performed unsuccessfully for other reasons, e.g. due to soiling of the card surface or the like.
The problem of the invention is therefore to state a method and apparatus which avoid the abovementioned disadvantages, i.e. further reduce the reject rate in personalizing chip cards.
This problem is solved by the present invention. Advantageous developments of the invention are stated in the dependent claims.
The present invention provides for personalizing the integrated circuits and the card bodies separately from each other and subsequently incorporating the personalized circuit in the personalized card body.
This method has the advantage of minimizing rejects over the known method since it limits both errors in personalizing the chip and errors in personalizing the card body to the chip or card body. Thus the total card is not useless if only either the card body or the chip is not personalized properly. A further advantage results from the exact-piece incorporation of the chips or modules in the card body now possible, which contributes to a further cost reduction in production.
For simpler handling, the integrated circuits are embedded in modules and supplied to a contact station on a carrier band. Preferably, the contact station is a multi-contact station which permits testing and/or initializing and personalizing of several modules simultaneously. This permits the sensitive integrated circuits to be already surrounded by a module material in this production step, i.e. during contacting, so that the integrated circuit itself is already protected. Initializing is omitted if preinitialized chips or modules are already used on the carrier band.
Advantageously, a further test is performed after personalization of the integrated circuits to permit improperly initialized or personalized circuits to be eliminated before further processing. Alternatively, the integrated circuit itself can provide an error message to the outside to indicate improper personalization.
After personalizing, the module carrier band is preferably transported further to a punching apparatus in which the modules are punched out of the carrier band, whereupon they are delivered to an implanting apparatus for insertion into the card body. Advantageously, the chip can be read out again before punching so that in case of a preceding disturbance the personalized chip can be clearly identified.
According to an advantageous development of the invention the card blanks are placed in an encoded pallet simultaneously with personalization of the modules, the code being linked with the order of successfully personalized circuits so that the card bodies are personalized in the order in which personalized circuits or modules are present.
With chip cards also containing a magnetic stripe, the magnetic stripe can also be inscribed with personal data before or after personalization of the card body. The magnetic stripe encoding is reread and checked immediately after personalizing. Improperly encoded card bodies are eliminated and not provided with a chip or module. Reencoding can be done immediately with the next card body so that the order still matches the personalized chips. If reencoding does not directly follow, the personalized card bodies are put in the order of the personalized circuits with the aid of a sort buffer.
In order to eliminate improperly personalized circuits or card bodies one performs a check of correct allocation after insertion of the personalized circuit into the personalized card body.
Preferably, the completely personalized chip cards are then deposited in a sort buffer and subsequently stacked in a magazine. They are deposited in the sort buffer in an order given by the data records, which is determined by the client for example.
Independent claim 1 states an apparatus for producing personalized data carriers by the abovementioned method, and has a multicontact station in which the integrated circuits are subjected to an incoming test, i.e. their functionality is tested. Subsequently the chips or modules are initialized, unless preinitialized chips were used, and personalized. At the time the integrated circuits are disposed on a carrier band which supplies them to the multicontact station or transports them to a punching apparatus after personalization and optionally a check of correct personalization.
Parallel thereto is a magazine input apparatus which disposes unpersonalized card bodies on the encoded pallet. The apparatus further contains means for identifying the pallet code and allocating said codes to a personalizing data record with which the card body is finally personalized. In an apparatus for implanting the personalized integrated circuits the latter are incorporated in the personalized card body.
Advantageously, there is further a testing apparatus which performs a check for agreement of the data after the integrated circuits or modules are implanted in the card body. Instead of or in addition to said check for data agreement, the circuit can be tested for its operability at this point in order to detect damage of the ICs from implantation.
Finally, a sort buffer is provided in which the finished cards are deposited in a given order and stacked in a magazine. This permits the cards to be deposited in the magazine in a desired order for later processing.